He kept kissing me: Actor Priya Bapat says she was harassed on set, felt helpless
Actor Priya Bapat recalled a co-actor repeatedly kissing her while improvising during a song sequence in her debut film. She said the experience left her distressed.
Actor Priya Bapat has opened up about an unsettling incident from the early days of her career, recalling how a co-actor repeatedly kissed her while improvising during a song sequence. The actor said she felt uncomfortable but did not know how to react or stand up for herself at the time.
In a conversation with Filmfare, Bapat revealed that she had expressed reservations about the kissing scene from the very beginning and had even questioned the director about its necessity during script-reading sessions. She also alleged that the co-actor's behaviour went beyond what had been planned for the scene.
While talking about the incident, the Munna Bhai M.B.B.S actor said, "And then there were moments where the actor kept improvising in the song. And he kept kissing me. And me being, I don't know why, I didn't take a stand for myself at that point of time. Because I didn't know how to deal with this."
Bapat shared that she had repeatedly asked the director why the kissing scene was necessary and whether it was justified within the narrative.
She further said the discomfort did not end after the shoot. Bapat recalled that the two were staying at the same hotel during the filming schedule, and the co-actor repeatedly asked her to join him for breakfast or dinner despite her having declined multiple times.
The actor said the experience left her deeply unsettled and that she would call her husband, Umesh Kamat, every night to tell him what she was going through. Concerned about her well-being, Kamat flew from Mumbai to Bhopal, where the film was being shot, and stayed by her side for the next three days.
About Priya Bapat
A popular name in Marathi cinema, Bapat has also built a strong presence in the OTT space over the years. She is best known for her performances in the acclaimed film Kaksparsh and the political drama series City of Dreams.
Her filmography also includes projects such as Happy Journey (2014), Aamhi Doghi (2018), Andhera and the SonyLIV series Raat Jawaan Hai.
Actor Priya Bapat has opened up about an unsettling incident from the early days of her career, recalling how a co-actor repeatedly kissed her while improvising during a song sequence. The actor said she felt uncomfortable but did not know how to react or stand up for herself at the time.
In a conversation with Filmfare, Bapat revealed that she had expressed reservations about the kissing scene from the very beginning and had even questioned the director about its necessity during script-reading sessions. She also alleged that the co-actor's behaviour went beyond what had been planned for the scene.
While talking about the incident, the Munna Bhai M.B.B.S actor said, "And then there were moments where the actor kept improvising in the song. And he kept kissing me. And me being, I don't know why, I didn't take a stand for myself at that point of time. Because I didn't know how to deal with this."
Bapat shared that she had repeatedly asked the director why the kissing scene was necessary and whether it was justified within the narrative.
She further said the discomfort did not end after the shoot. Bapat recalled that the two were staying at the same hotel during the filming schedule, and the co-actor repeatedly asked her to join him for breakfast or dinner despite her having declined multiple times.
The actor said the experience left her deeply unsettled and that she would call her husband, Umesh Kamat, every night to tell him what she was going through. Concerned about her well-being, Kamat flew from Mumbai to Bhopal, where the film was being shot, and stayed by her side for the next three days.
About Priya Bapat
A popular name in Marathi cinema, Bapat has also built a strong presence in the OTT space over the years. She is best known for her performances in the acclaimed film Kaksparsh and the political drama series City of Dreams.
Her filmography also includes projects such as Happy Journey (2014), Aamhi Doghi (2018), Andhera and the SonyLIV series Raat Jawaan Hai.
